Naruto: Drabbles & Ficlets
by lightningmouse
Summary: A series of drabbles and ficlets focusing on various characters of the Naruto universe.
1. Wish Upon A Fallen Star

Wish upon a fallen star  
-----------------------------

"This one," Emma-o declared, glaring down pitilessly at the small form over which they all towered, "is nothing but trouble." The hissing laugh of the demon fox sealed in the boy drew another, sterner frown from him and he smiled thinly as he made his decision. "Eaten from within he shall be, his chakra enough to hold the kyuubi, but not enough to protect his own life."

Murmurs of fickle amusement or dissatisfaction at the statement echoed in the clearing, rustling in the wind blown grass and the leaves fluttering in the air in irregular, unsteady patterns. The boy's smile faded for a moment, as though perhaps he sensed the gods teeming around him – but then his smile returned, the hope still shining brightly in his eyes. The stars were falling in brilliant streaks, one after the other and on a night where one might hope for a god to answer's one wish, he was determined to be heard.

So it continued, each god or goddess granting calamity or alienation to the annoyingly cheerful young boy while their words were accompanied by the defiant hisses of the fox demon who could hear them only too well. So it continued until only one deity was left, peering down at the brilliantly smiling young boy, his head firmly nestled against his crossed arms while he stared up at the heavens.

"Ah, child," she finally signed, shaking her head slightly, the flowers weaved in her hair rustling delicately at the motion. "How is it that you conceal such deep sorrow underneath your smile, so very well that even the gods are fooled?"

At her words, the gods paused in their low conversations and turned to stare in mingled confusion and dismay.

"I choose you as one of my own," was the final declaration, accompanied by murmurs of shock and surprise by the witnesses still present. "And to thee," the goddess murmured, "I give my greatest gift of all. The hearts of others you shall touch and understand, drawing them closer with every passing moment even though they understand not why. The depths of your empathy and kindness will be their salvation. And in return... they shall ever seek to touch you in kind."

She smiled softly as she reached down, and brushed her fingertips across the cheek of the small boy, still staring up hopefully to the heavens, not seeing at all the august company around him.

"Or at least I would give that to you," she laughed, smiling in delight as she dropped all formality, drawing gasps of surprise from all those present, "were it not that you possessed it already!"

Kannon leaned down to press her lips to the boy's forehead in a silent benediction, before straightening up. All watched the boy as he drifted off to sleep under the Goddess of Mercy's benevolent protection, that same hopeful smile still etched on his lips.

And each, slowly, started to think of ways to moderate the fates they had set upon the young boy.


	2. Two Sides of a Leaf

Two Sides of a Leaf  
-----------------------

_The boy on the swing_

The wind brushes against his face gently and the rope wound around the heavy branch overhead creaks with each motion of the swing, an unsteady back and forth which halts each time the boy lets his feet drag on the ground. He remembers being on that swing when he was smaller, just as he is on it now, after school, when children mill about waiting for a parent to come get them, to walk with them all the way back home. The happy laughter and welcoming smiles for those who belong, and the sidelong looks and the ill-concealed contempt directed at him.

He feels as though he keeps going around in circles, no matter how hard he tries to break out of the patterns, no matter how hard he struggles against his fate. Becoming the village prankster had seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, but now he doubts that as well, doubts everything really.

The wind brushes against his cheek gently, wavering along the tip of his nose before skipping upwards to ruffle his hair, whirling in mad little circles before drifting off again.

And despite telling himself that having the wind as a mother and father is far better and more grandiose than anything else could be, than any other kid could aspire to having, Naruto still wishes, that just once, the gentle hand of a mother might reach out to him, to touch his cheek, or that the larger, strong hand of a father might ruffle his hair fondly.

Just once.

To belong.

_  
The boy by the playground_

He hates the looks of pity people give him when they think he isn't looking at them. He hates how they speak in softer tones around him, as though he might break at any given moment, if they aren't careful with him. It's as though he's this precious, tiny glass statue they carefully wrap in silk and pass along to each other in whispered, hushed tones. So he pushes them away when they try to touch him, glares at them when they try to hug him, strikes out at them when they try to soothe away his nightmares.

He has others thing to do, rather than indulge them in their sentiments. He has a family name to avenge, and broken dreams ever burning in the back of his mind to lay to rest. He has a man to hunt down, and a brother to kill. And he will never, ever be able to forgive himself for being a weak, helpless coward that night, instead of being brave enough to stand tall and die with the rest of his family.

As he should have.

He focuses everything that he is and has on growing stronger, so that one day he can set things to right. It won't matter if he lives or dies that day – that's not really what it's about. And he hates that after all of his efforts, all of his defiance in the face of their misplaced pity, they still whisper and give him looks from the corner of their eyes. Full of sorrow and sadness. And can't understand what drives him on.

But most of all, in his most secret of hearts, Sasuke hates the thought that maybe they're right. And the easiest way to make sure they never find out, never manage to break him before it's time for him to break, is to keep them as far away as possible.

And to never let anyone touch him again.


	3. Expectations

Expectations

--

It is part of a jounin's duty to know one's students. To know them inside out, better than they themselves might ever dream to understand what motivates them and drives them onward. It must be so at least until they one day possibly reach the rank of _jounin_ themselves, which requires a solid mastery of one's emotions and abilities. Still, at this, as hard as he has ever been on every single student he has examined and found wanting, Kakashi knows he is the best. He weighs the good, the bad and the apt to change and can predict years in advance how a young ninja may turn out and where excellence might be one day found.

Naruto however, is something Kakashi never thought to encounter. The boy somehow always managed to surprise him when Team 7 passed the first test and took their beginning steps on the path of the ninja, and though at first Kakashi thought he had understood what Naruto was about, he soon learned otherwise. And then when he thought he _had_ finally understood... Naruto turned around and surprised him yet again. And again, and again.

It took Kakashi far longer than he likes to admit to finally stop expecting things from Naruto, and simply understand that whatever he might imagine, one way or another Naruto would find a way to surpass his expectations, in the most improbable of ways. And yet always at the most crucial of times. When people needed him the most.

It is in the forging of his own path of the ninja, Kakashi now knows, that Naruto excels. And in this, the only limits which will ever be found are those Naruto chooses to impose on himself.

Kakashi finds an odd sort of pride in knowing that the one thing which has never changed about Naruto, the one thing he has always understood since the very start, is that the boy considers any and all limits merely as a challenge to be overcome, rather than the end of his road.


End file.
